In a decision with wide-ranging ramifications for the tourism industry of Sri Lanka, the country’s Supreme Court has suspended with immediate effect the eVisa portal being run by visa services firm VFS Global since April.

However, in a bid to reassure incoming foreign tourists, Sri Lanka’s tourism industry stakeholders have said that the visitors can continue to avail of the visa on arrival facilities that have been installed at various entry points for the country.

In a joint press communiqué, the Sri Lanka Association of Inbound Tour Operators (SLAITO) and the Hotels Association of Sri Lanka reassure all their overseas tour operator partners and all potential visitors to the island, that in the absence of a functioning online visa platform, anyone visiting can avail themselves of a visa on arrival at the airport.

In the statement, the two organisations say that following the implementation of a new eVisa system on April 17, 2024, without prior warning or consultation, a number of fundamental rights petitions had been filed at the country’s Supreme Court, challenging the new system.

The statement adds that in a ruling on August 2, the Supreme Court issued an interim order suspending with immediate effect the Sri Lanka eVisa portal run by VFS Global. As a result of this order the platform is not available for online visa processing since 17:00 on August 2.

The two organisations say that even those visitors who have not obtained an online visa in preparation for their travel in the next few days, they can still travel and avail of a Visa on Arrival, at the same eVisa fee of USD 50 at the immigration counters in the arrivals hall at the airport that are made available for this purpose.

The statement adds that the court order further stated that the ETA system that was in operation prior to mid-April 2024, to be restored and made available for obtaining of ETAs or Electronic Travel Authorisations, until further notice. 

The two bodies say that they anticipate that the said ETA system will be up and running within the course of next week. A further update will be issued when this takes place, they add.